Match ends, Fulham 1, Liverpool 3.
Liverpool put a frustrating fortnight behind them to reignite their Premier League title bid with a welcome win at Fulham.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, making a first league start in more than two months following a knee injury, curled a fabulous first-half free-kick into the top corner to put them ahead.
Timothy Castagne steered Fulham level before the break but Ryan Gravenberch's perfectly-measured 20-yard effort flew in off the post to restore the Reds' advantage.
Diogo Jota sealed the points with an accurate low finish past Bernd Leno from Cody Gakpo's through ball and the margin of victory could arguably have been greater.
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Regardless, it was an accomplished and largely trouble-free display from Liverpool that will reassure boss Jurgen Klopp they could yet end his nine-year reign with a second Premier League crown.
Dropped points in a draw at Manchester United and a shock Anfield defeat by Crystal Palace - with a disappointing Europa League exit to Atalanta sandwiched in between - had threatened to derail hopes of further trophies to add to the Carabao Cup they have already collected this season.
But victory at Craven Cottage lifts Liverpool back up to second in the table, level on points with leaders Arsenal - but behind the Gunners on goal difference - and a point above third-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.
"For 80 minutes we played a really good game," Klopp told BBC Match of the Day.
"I didn't like the last 10 minutes of the first half and they got the goal. But that's all right because I loved the second half.
"We want to stay in that race, that's clear. Arsenal won yesterday, Manchester City will win their game in hand, so we have to win games and that's what we'll try [to do]."
Reds pass tricky test on Thames
Klopp's trademark post-match fist-pumping celebration with the travelling supporters seemed to have even more oomph than usual after his side navigated a tricky test they simply could not afford to fail.
Fulham have claimed a string of notable scalps at the Cottage this season, upsetting Arsenal there in December, while European hopefuls Tottenham, Brighton and West Ham have all been soundly beaten too.
Liverpool were fully aware of their credentials, having been taken to the limit by Marco Silva's side in a thrilling 4-3 win earlier this season as well as edging their Carabao Cup semi-final over two legs.
This was far more routine than those prior meetings but it needed Alexander-Arnold - who hit Liverpool's dramatic late winner to down Fulham at Anfield in December - to light the touch paper.
He had already whipped in a fine cross for Luis Diaz to glance a header wide before netting his sixth direct free-kick Premier League for Liverpool with an unstoppable strike that left Leno grasping at thin air.
Gakpo would have located the very same top corner soon after if not for Leno's fingertips but Fulham's best spell of the game resulted in them drawing level in first-half stoppage time.
Not long after Andreas Pereira's attempt to emulate Alexander-Arnold's set-piece magic skimmed the bar, Castagne guided a loose ball in the box into the bottom corner for his first goal since joining Fulham from Leicester last summer.
But the hosts were profligate in possession after the break and Liverpool punished them, first with Gravenberch's exquisite curler and then Jota's composure to wrap up the points.
Fulham, safely ensconced in 12th place in the table, had little by way of response as Liverpool eased off the gas in the closing stages, perhaps with Wednesday night's Merseyside derby at Everton in mind.
Player of the match
Alexander-ArnoldTrent Alexander-Arnold
Fulham
Avg
- Squad number21Player nameCastagneAverage rating
5.56
- Squad number17Player nameLenoAverage rating
5.46
- Squad number26Player nameJoĆ£o PalhinhaAverage rating
5.45
- Squad number22Player nameIwobiAverage rating
5.38
- Squad number33Player nameRobinsonAverage rating
5.33
- Squad number19Player nameRodrigo MunizAverage rating
5.33
- Squad number4Player nameTosinAverage rating
5.31
- Squad number18Player nameAndreas PereiraAverage rating
5.26
- Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-ReidAverage rating
5.25
- Squad number28Player nameLukicAverage rating
5.24
- Squad number3Player nameBasseyAverage rating
5.20
- Squad number8Player nameWilsonAverage rating
5.15
- Squad number11Player nameTraorƩAverage rating
4.90
- Squad number10Player nameCairneyAverage rating
4.75
Liverpool
Avg
- Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating
7.59
- Squad number18Player nameGakpoAverage rating
7.57
- Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating
7.34
- Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating
7.26
- Squad number10Player nameMac AllisterAverage rating
7.25
- Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating
7.19
- Squad number7Player nameDĆazAverage rating
7.04
- Squad number2Player nameGomezAverage rating
7.03
- Squad number38Player nameGravenberchAverage rating
7.03
- Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating
6.97
- Squad number3Player nameEndoAverage rating
6.93
- Squad number78Player nameQuansahAverage rating
6.91
- Squad number19Player nameElliottAverage rating
6.89
- Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating
6.74
- Squad number9Player nameNĆŗƱezAverage rating
6.74
- Squad number8Player nameSzoboszlaiAverage rating
6.68
Line-ups
Fulham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 17Leno
- 21CastagneBooked at 79mins
- 4TosinBooked at 39mins
- 3Bassey
- 33Robinson
- 26JoĆ£o PalhinhaBooked at 30minsSubstituted forCairneyat 71'minutes
- 28Lukic
- 22IwobiSubstituted forTraorƩat 85'minutes
- 18Pereira
- 14De Cordova-ReidSubstituted forWilsonat 71'minutes
- 19Muniz Carvalho
Substitutes
- 1RodƔk
- 2Tete
- 6Reed
- 7JimƩnez
- 8Wilson
- 9Broja
- 10Cairney
- 11TraorƩ
- 13Ream
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-ArnoldSubstituted forGomezat 80'minutes
- 78Quansah
- 4van Dijk
- 26Robertson
- 19Elliott
- 3Endo
- 38GravenberchSubstituted forMac Allisterat 74'minutes
- 7DĆazSubstituted forSalahat 74'minutes
- 20JotaSubstituted forNĆŗƱezat 74'minutes
- 18GakpoSubstituted forSzoboszlaiat 86'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Gomez
- 5KonatƩ
- 8Szoboszlai
- 9NĆŗƱez
- 10Mac Allister
- 11Salah
- 17Jones
- 21Tsimikas
- 62Kelleher
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 24,401
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home40%
- Away60%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away7
- Corners
- Home1
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Fulham 1, Liverpool 3.
Post update
Attempt saved. Harry Wilson (Fulham) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Adama TraorƩ.
Post update
Offside, Liverpool. Mohamed Salah is caught offside.
Post update
Foul by Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool).
Post update
Andreas Pereira (Fulham) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Attempt missed. Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Post update
Attempt missed. Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right.
Post update
Attempt saved. Tom Cairney (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Rodrigo Muniz.
Post update
Offside, Fulham. Harry Wilson is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Dominik Szoboszlai replaces Cody Gakpo.
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Adama TraorƩ replaces Alex Iwobi.
Post update
Attempt missed. Sasa Lukic (Fulham) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Tosin Adarabioyo following a set piece situation.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Cairney.
Post update
Hand ball by Harvey Elliott (Liverpool).
Post update
Foul by Darwin NĆŗƱez (Liverpool).
Post update
Calvin Bassey (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Joe Gomez replaces Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Booking
Timothy Castagne (Fulham) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Offside, Liverpool. Darwin NĆŗƱez is caught offside.
Comments
Join the conversation
Now need to get that important win against Everton.
Talking of Everton, now they got a win today and built some breathing space between themselves and the bottom three, perhaps they may not play with such desperation on Wednesday (fingers crossed).
And still less than 500 posts!
I guess Liverpool won then!
Or Merthyr Tydfil's had a power cut!š¤£